


Here for You

by bluemadridista



Category: Football RPF
Genre: Angst, Comfort, FC Chelsea, Fluff, M/M, juan mata (mentioned), mention of sexual content, santi cazorla (mentioned)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-07
Updated: 2013-02-07
Packaged: 2017-11-28 12:17:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/674310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluemadridista/pseuds/bluemadridista
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eden is upset by the ball boy incident and his boyfriend, Fernando, is there to comfort him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Here for You

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own none of these people. I don't know them. None of this is true. Total fiction.  
> I hope you all enjoy this fic! Please let me know what you think of it <3

Fernando watched in horror as his lover walked off the pitch. He hadn’t been really close to the situation. He hadn’t even clearly seen it. He had just heard everyone whispering what had supposedly happened.

His boyfriend kicked a ball boy.

Fernando’s initial reaction was disbelief. The opposing players were standing around the pitch and gossiping like schoolgirls. Fernando couldn’t believe that the man he’d been seeing for two months, the man that had played with his children would assault anyone, let alone a ball boy.

Fernando planted his hands on his hips and squeezed his shirt to refrain from reaching out to Eden as he passed by. He cringed when Eden smirked and shook his head. He knew that action would be misconstrued. He knew Eden’s personality was always being called into question. He could only imagine what terrible things the rival fans, players, and the media would say about him now.

After the match, Fernando rushed down the tunnel before anyone else. Eden was seated on the bench in front of his locker, fresh out of the shower with a towel wrapped around his waist. His head was down and he seemed particularly interested in a loose thread on his towel. When he heard Fernando walk in, he glanced up. “I didn’t do it,” he said immediately.

Fernando nodded and hurried toward him. “I knew you wouldn’t,” he said, leaning down to press his lips to Eden’s.

Eden reached up and scratched his fingers over the back of Fernando’s head. When he pulled out of the kiss, he said, “I wish you hadn’t cut your hair.”

Fernando sat next to him and took hold of his hand. “You know it’s my superstition. I told you.”

“I know…” Eden paused and lowered his voice. “I liked to play with it though.”

Fernando chuckled and pressed a kiss to Eden’s head. He pulled his hand away from Eden when he heard the rest of the team funneling into the locker room. They were quickly followed by reporters and club staff. Fernando remained by Eden’s side, but not as close as he would have liked. His captains might have come out in the locker room, but Fernando wasn’t ready to expose his relationship to his teammates just yet, let alone the press.

When Fernando caught side of the ball boy, his stomach twisted. The boy was being led by a member of the Swansea staff. Fernando glanced nervously at Eden. He half expected to see police show up to inform Eden the boy was pressing charges. He and Eden were stunned when the boy issued an apology for wasting time and lying. Fernando’s eyes widened. Eden kept his smirk concealed this time and graciously accepted the boys apology and gave one of his own for kicking the ball from under him and possibly clipping him a little. Fernando smiled proudly at Eden and gave his shoulder a squeeze.

 

Eden had assumed that his apology would make everything go away. Everyone would understand. The FA would forget about banning him. The fans would accept his word and cease the judgment. He was very wrong. The FA gave him a three-match ban. He told himself to just be glad it wasn’t more. The media opinions and the fans were his main worries. He had gotten countless hateful mentions on Twitter. He had seen tons of disappointed/angry things on Facebook.

He felt a torrent of emotions ranging from anger to depression. Part of him wanted to lash out, defend himself, and tell the fans to shut the hell up and leave him alone. A bigger part of him wanted to apologize to every single fan individually and beg for forgiveness.

“How do you deal with this?” Eden asked in lieu of a traditional greeting when he opened his front door to let Fernando in. Fernando had just played the first match of Eden’s ban.

“Hey, babe. Nice to see you too,” Fernando said jokingly. Eden was already walking away from him. He walked into Eden’s flat and closed the door behind him. When Eden didn’t offer any reply, he just followed him to the living room and continued talking to him. “Being banned? Or just out? Well, it’s always tough, but…”

“No, this stuff they’re saying about me. How do you deal with that? I know people are always saying horrible things about you. I don’t know how you deal with it.” Eden collapsed onto his couch.

Fernando slid into the empty place next to him and pulled Eden to him. He kissed the top of Eden’s head. He was stalling and trying to contain a sigh. If he was being honest, he didn’t really know how to deal with it. It was so hard, so stressful. It wrecked his confidence. Juan had always been what got him through this stuff. Since he had started up with Santi, he didn’t have much time for Fernando anymore, not that Eden would have really appreciated that answer either.

“It’s hard,” he finally said. “It’s hard to hear harsh comments like that especially from the kids you think love you.”

“They all turned on me,” Eden whined. “You should see my Twitter messages!”

“That’s why I don’t use my Twitter,” Fernando put in.

“It’s terrible,” Eden grumbled.

“Yeah, but didn’t you get at least one encouraging message? One positive message?”

“On Twitter? Not really. Not that I saw. I quit checking it. I got a few really nice messages on that Tumblr thing Mata told us about.”

Fernando nodded and bit the inside of his cheek at the mention of his ex. Trying to be “just friends” with Juan even when he was in another relationship was not easy. They had shared too much love through the years. “That’s what keeps you going, you know? That’s what gets me through it all. Those fans that really support me through anything. Even if it’s just one girl that comes up after a match and begs me for a hug even if I’m sweaty and gross, or someone that says, ‘I believe in you’ while I sign their shirt at a signing. You gotta forget about the ones that hate you and come back for the ones that show you love even if the haters outnumber them.”

“They do,” Eden mumbled.

Fernando chuckled sympathetically and kissed the top of his head again. “It’ll be okay, Eden. You’ll come back after your ban and you’ll be just as amazing as you ever were and they’ll all love you again. You’ll be fine.”

Eden turned his head up to Fernando and nuzzled his nose against his chin. Fernando turned his chin down, so Eden could meet his lips. “I’m sorry,” Eden mumbled against his lips. “I sound like a jerk. You’ve been dealing with this kind of stuff much longer. I’m whining.”

Fernando shook his head. “No. It’s a hard thing to deal with. I just want you to know it will be okay and even if there are still a few haters, you’ll have those amazing fans that never give up on you.”

“And you,” Eden said, staring into his eyes.

A smile spread over Fernando’s face. “And me, yes. You’ll always have me.”

Eden leaned in and pressed his lips to Fernando’s lips. “Baby, can you stay tonight?” He asked, brushing his lips over Fernando’s as he spoke.

“For a little while,” Fernando said, pushing Eden back on the couch.

Eden grabbed Fernando’s shoulders and held him back. “A little while?” He repeated, narrowing his eyes at Fernando. “What happened to I’ll always have you?” Eden was never the clingy type, but he was feeling sad and vulnerable and he just wanted the older man to hold him all night and comfort him.

Fernando traced a line from Eden’s temple to his chin and then gingerly cupped his cheek. “You know what I mean. I’m not going to leave you, break up with you, but I have to go soon. Olalla will be expecting me. You know how this works.”

Eden pouted out his full bottom lip. “I know, but I thought tonight, just tonight, you could stay over. Couldn’t you make up some excuse?”

“Like what?” Fernando pushed against Eden’s hand until they dropped away. He closed the gap between them and feathered gently kisses over Eden’s neck.

“I don’t know. Tell her I’m having a really hard time dealing with my first suspension and, and you’re just being a good friend by staying over… in the guest room.”

Fernando popped up and stared down into Eden’s eyes. “Baby, Olalla isn’t stupid. We stay together for our kids, and she understands what I do, but she expects me to be in our home at night… for the kids. I’m sorry. I’ll come back tomorrow afternoon. I’ll bring you lunch.”

 

Eden was on the treadmill, running off his anxiety and annoyance. It was well into the afternoon and Fernando hadn’t rang, much less shown up with his promised lunch. Eden’s iPhone was attached to his arm, playing his favorite work-out playlist. When Fernando’s call came through, his music paused and he answered the call.

“Fer?” He panted, slowing his running until he finally stopped altogether.

“Eden? Why do you sound out of breath?”

“I’m on the treadmill,” Eden explained. He grabbed his water bottle from the holder on the treadmill and chugged some down. “Are you here? Are you on your way?”

“Uh… about that, Babe. I can’t make it. I forgot Nora has a playdate and O is busy, so…”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it. Tomorrow?”

“We’ve got double training tomorrow,” Fernando said. “I’ll be exhausted and I’ll need to spend some time with the kids.”

Eden couldn’t contain a sigh. “Alright. Well, just phone me when you’re available.”

“Eden, don’t be like that. I miss you. I’ve just got things to do with my kids.”

“I know and since you couldn’t possibly bring them around, I’ll see when you haven’t got anything else keeping you. I’m gonna get back to my work-out now. See you later.”

“See you, Eden,” Fernando said as Eden ended the call.

 

Fernando tried to get around to see Eden after training the day before Chelsea FA Cup match versus Brentford, but Leo had a doctor check-up and Olalla was busy with Nora. He texted a thousand apologies from the doctor’s waiting room, but Eden didn’t seem to be having any of it. Fernando knew if he didn’t get around to seeing him soon, Eden might call it quits. If Fernando wasn’t there for him when he needed him most, what good was he anyway?

Fernando’s mind was on Eden all through the match. He did alright, but he wasn’t able to put the ball in the back of the net until the eighty-third minute. He was so excited to finally score that he got a little carried away gesturing at the fans. Ashley pulled him away, warning him that rival fans were not to be pressed lest they riot in some way. He had wanted to dedicate his goal to Eden, but he hadn’t gotten a chance.

When the match ended, Fernando rushed down the tunnel. He was anxious to check his phone. He hoped for a message from Eden. He was rewarded when he unlocked his phone. He had one awaiting text message from his lover.

Congrats on the goal, Nando.

Fernando sighed and slumped down onto the bench. He knew Eden was upset with him for not giving him much attention, but he didn’t see how he had a choice. He expected Eden to put his anger or sadness aside and be happier for him. He tossed his phone back into the small locker he was using for the night and set off to the shower. He showered as quickly as he could, dressed, and rushed from the stadium to Eden’s apartment.

 

Eden was lying on his couch, staring at the post-match news when he heard the door buzzer. He groaned and rolled off the couch. He wasn’t expecting anyone. He assumed Fernando would be celebrating with the team or at home with his family. He leaned against the door and smashed his hand down on the intercom button. “Who is it?” He growled in French, hoping to dissuade whoever was there to bother him.

“You know I don’t speak French,” Fernando said. “Open up, Baby.”

Eden sighed and pressed the button to unlock the door and allow Fernando up. A few moments later, his lover was rapping on his door. He stared at him through the peephole just to take him in before he opened the door. Fernando was bobbing right to left which told Eden he was shifting his weight nervously or impatiently. When Fernando sucked his bottom lip into his mouth and chewed on it, Eden knew it was nervousness controlling his actions.

He pulled open his front door and asked, “Why do you look so nervous?”

Fernando shrugged his shoulders. “I wasn’t sure you would answer. Seems like you’re pretty upset with me.”

“You just got here. How do I seem like anything?”

Fernando planted his hands on his hips. “Your text.”

“I said congrats, didn’t I?”

“Eden…”

Eden turned his face to the floor and watched his toes curl against the dark cherry hardwood flooring. “Come in,” he mumbled, stepping back and waving Fernando inside. “I’m sorry, you know? I just… I’m going crazy, I think. I miss you and I miss being able to play and…” Eden trailed off and shook his head.

Fernando curled his arm over his shoulders and hooked it around his neck, pulling Eden against him. He pressed his lips to the top of his short lover’s head and mumbled, “What is it?”

Eden wrapped his arms around Fernando’s waist and buried his head against his chest. “I keep seeing all these things people are saying about me.”

“Stay off those websites,” Fernando said, chuckling softly. “What do those people know anyway?”

“They’re our fans. I value their opinions.”

“I value our fans’ opinions too, Eden, but those people that talk bad about you… they’re just hating because they haven’t got anything better to do. They’re not real fans. I saw some of them. The real fans that actually bother to acknowledge your apology or believe you when you say you weren’t kicking that kid – those are the fans. The others… just don’t listen to them. They hate on everyone for no reason. Just forget about it, Baby.”

Eden nodded. He was silent for a few moments before he spoke again, saying, “Okay, so forget about them, but I’m still upset. I still miss you. You kept saying you’d come by, but you never showed. I hate feeling clingy.”

Fernando chuckled again and kissed the top of Eden’s head. “You’re not clingy. I wanted to come. I just got busy with other things. I’m sorry, but I’m yours now. I’m here.”

Eden pulled away and trudged into the kitchen. “For how long?” He asked.

Fernando followed after him. “I told Olalla I was going to celebrate my goal with a teammate.”

Eden opened his refrigerator and pulled out a can of Pepsi. “You know I thought you might really be out doing that. Celebrating with Mata or something.” Eden didn’t meet Fernando’s eye as he spoke, knowing her probably sounded like a jealous boyfriend.

“Mata is spending the night with Santi, I believe,” Fernando said, hoping to squash Eden’s jealousy without really having to acknowledge it. “I only wanted to celebrate with you.” Fernando moved around Eden’s kitchen island. Eden was stretching to reach some glasses in a high cabinet. His t-shirt had ridden up, exposing a strip of the small of his back. Fernando traced a line over it with the tip of his index finger.

Eden did a funny little dance and squealed. “That tickled!” He exclaimed, spinning to face Fernando and swatting at him. “That really tickled!”

Fernando laughed and shook his head. “I don’t think being tickled will kill you. No need for the slapping.” Fernando leaned in and pressed a kiss to the side of Eden’s neck. When he pulled back, he reached up and grabbed the glasses that Eden had been aiming for when he tickled him.

Eden split the soda between him and Fernando and they retired to the living room. Fernando sat beside Eden with his right leg folded up, so he could face his boyfriend. He used his knee to nudge Eden’s hip. “What’s on your mind? I can tell you’re thinking about something.” Fernando brushed his knuckle across Eden’s cheek.

Eden lowered his head. He trailed his fingers around the edge of his glass. “Just… why couldn’t you come over the other day? You could have brought the kids over or we could have gone somewhere with them. Do you not want me around your children?”

“No,” Fernando said immediately. “It’s not that at all. It’s just that the kids spent so much time with Juan and…”

Eden let out an audible sigh and ran his fingers through his hair. “This is crap, Fernando. You can’t keep comparing me to Mata. If I’m not good enough for you then let’s be done with each other. I’m sick of being second best in your eyes.”

Fernando stared at Eden and blinked his eyes a few times whilst grasping for the words he wanted to say. Finally, he reached out and took hold of Eden’s hand. “Eden, I was only going to say that they spent a lot of time with Mata, but they never knew he was more than just one of their daddy’s friends. I never wanted to tell them.” Fernando laced his fingers with Eden’s and leaned forward a little. “With you, I… I don’t know. It’s weird to me, but I feel like I want them to know just what you are to me, but I don’t know if right now is the right time.”

Eden turned his face up and stared into Fernando’s eyes. “You want to tell your kids that we’re together?”

Fernando looked away and chewed at his bottom lip. When he was confused about his feelings, he felt self-conscious, and he was definitely confused. He wondered why he had never wanted to tell the kids about Juan. They were together much longer than he and Eden. They had known each other much long. Perhaps that was it, he reasoned. The children had always known Mata as Daddy’s friend, so it was easier to keep it that way.

But that still didn’t answer his question: Why do I want them to know about Eden? He’s a teammate. I could just as easily tell them he’s a friend too.

“Yeah,” he muttered finally.

“What will Olalla think about that?”

Fernando raised and lowered his shoulders. “I don’t know. I’m sure she won’t like it. I don’t even know how to explain it to the kids. They’re so little. I don’t know how to tell them that I love and respect their mother, but I want to be with another man.”

Eden squeezed Fernando’s hand gently. “So don’t tell them just yet,” he said gingerly. “Give it a while. I’m okay with it. We can be just friends in their eyes for a while, but I would like to spend time with them, Fer.”

“I’m okay with that,” Fernando assured him. “I have no problem with you spending time with them. I just didn’t know how to introduce you to them and everything.”

“I understand.” Eden didn’t have kids. He was still too young to even really think about having kids, so the desire he had to meet and interact with Fernando’s children perplexed him. He had never felt that way before, but he had seen Mata interacting with them. He had seen the look on their faces when they embraced him. More importantly, he had seen the look on Fernando’s face as he watched them. He beamed. Eden wanted him to look at him that way. No. He wanted to deserve to be looked at that way. He wanted to be given the chance to love Fernando’s children the way Mata did.

Fernando stared at the side of Eden’s face, watching the way his forehead creased, the way small lines formed at the corner’s of his eyes, and the way his mouth twitched a little at the corner. He was thinking. Fernando wanted to ask him what he was thinking, but he didn’t dare ruin the moment. He was obviously thinking very hard – probably about his children, Fernando thought. He didn’t want to tear him away from those thoughts.

Eden was torn away from the thoughts when he sensed Fernando’s eyes on him. He turned slowly toward him, a smile forming and widening on his lips as he did so. “I could feel you watching me,” he said.

Fernando’s freckled cheeks blushed. “Sorry. I like to watch you think. You make the cutest faces sometimes.”

Eden tittered and shook his head. “I do not,” he disagreed.

“You do. When you’re really deep in thought, your whole face pinches and your nose scrunches up like a little bunny nose. It’s totally cute.”

“No, it’s not. Stop calling me that. ‘Cute’ isn’t a guy thing and it’s not sexy and…”

Fernando silenced Eden with a kiss on the lips. “You’re always sexy,” he murmured against his lips.

Eden grinned into his mouth and then pushed him back on the couch. Fernando moved his leg quickly, so Eden could lie between his legs. Eden pushed up between them and dipped his head to kiss his neck. When he lifted his head, he stared down into Fernando’s eyes. “I think I need to properly congratulate you for that goal now.”

A grin spread over Fernando’s face and he nodded. “I think so too.”

 

Fernando awoke with a start. His body wanted to sit up, but Eden’s body kept him pinned to the bed. He glanced around, wondering what the time was. The clock on Eden’s bedside table read, “12:10.” The last time he had known the time, it was just after seven. How did it get so late?

You made love to your boyfriend twice and fell asleep spent, his mind replied.

Fernando groaned. He wanted to go back to sleep, but he knew he had to go home for Olalla and the kids. He gently pushed Eden off of him and slid to the edge of the bed. He felt Eden stir as he sat up. He rubbed at his eyes and waited for Eden to speak.

“Baby,” Eden grumbled sleepily. His voice was deeper than usual and scratchy. Fernando heard him clear his throat a little and felt the bed shift when he moved closer to him. “Where are you going?” Eden asked, tracing Fernando’s spine with the tip of his finger.

“I have to go home, Eden. It’s after midnight. We fell asleep.”

Eden kissed Fernando’s back. “You smell like sex. Are you sure you want to go home like this?”

Fernando sighed. He didn’t want to go home at all if he was being honest. The kids were already asleep. They would be fine if he came home in the morning before they were up, but he knew Olalla would be up waiting for him. “I have to go,” he reiterated.

Eden sat up on his knees behind Fernando and ran his hands over his sides and onto his stomach. Fernando let his head fall back onto his boyfriend’s shoulder when Eden started to kiss his neck. “You want a shower first?” Eden asked, biting his earlobe.

All Fernando heard was, “Come have sex with me in the shower.” He slid off the bed and walked straight to Eden’s en suite bathroom. Eden hopped off the bed and quickly followed.

The pair emerged from a steamy bathroom half an hour later, still holding each other and kissing as they stumbled into the bedroom. Eden dug his fingertips into the back of Fernando’s neck, silently cursing him for cutting his hair. He missed the feel of it between his fingers.

Fernando had his arms wrapped around Eden’s back, holding him close. He didn’t want to let him go. He wanted to walk him to the bed, lie him down, and curl up with him to sleep the rest of the night. He pulled away quickly when he remembered he couldn’t do that. He was meant to be getting home, not talking himself into staying. “I have to go. I’m sorry.”

Eden made a whiny sound as he watched Fernando walk around the room to retrieve his clothing from the various places it had been dropped or tossed as they disrobed and climbed into bed earlier. “Are you free tomorrow?” Eden asked, running a hand through his wet hair.

Fernando pulled on his boxers and then his pants. “No. Olalla is going to the spa or something with Santi’s wife, so I have the kids.”

Eden sighed and walked to his closet to get a pair of boxers to sleep in. He wasn’t sure how to ask Fernando to let him see him and the children. He scolded himself for asking so weak. He cleared his throat as he re-entered his bedroom in black boxer briefs. Fernando was now fully dressed, save his shoes which he was sitting on Eden’s bed to put on. “Maybe we could get together and take the kids to the park or something.” Eden sat down on his bed next to Fernando.

Fernando smiled over at him. “I guess we could do that.”

“Really?” Eden’s entire face smiled.

“Sure, Baby. Sounds great.” Fernando stood up from the bed and brushed himself off. “Walk me to the door now,” he said, holding his hand out to Eden.

Eden grabbed his hand and walked to the front door with him. They stood at the door kissing for another five minutes before Fernando reached for the handle and opened the door. “I really have to go,” he said, stealing another quick kiss. “About tomorrow…”

“You changed your mind,” Eden blurted.

Fernando’s brow furrowed. “Eh, no. I just thought… maybe you could come by the house. The kids and I will make lunch for you.”

Eden grinned and nodded his head. “That sounds great. Should I bring anything?”

“Just yourself is enough,” Fernando said, leaning in and pecking Eden on the lips. “See you tomorrow, Babe,” he whispered, walking down the hallway.


End file.
